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Essay on the Television Advertising

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There is considerable controversy over television advertising. According to some, it is the best selling medium ever invented. It is a means of bringing actual demonstration into the homes of the prospect and is therefore a more effective medium even when compared with the radio. Of course it would be a very expensive advertising medium and would certainly exclude the small advertiser.

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In India the first experimental T.V. station was launched on September 15, 1959 in Delhi. The Bombay T.V. Centre started functioning on October 2, 1972. A relay transmitter at Pune was commissioned on October 2, 1973 to extend the range of the Bombay T.V. programmes.

The T.V. Centre at Srinagar started experimental telecasts on January 26, 1973. The fourth T.V. Centre in India, the Amritsar Transmitting Station was commissioned on September 29, 1973.

Towards the end of 1975, television centres were commissioned at Calcutta, Madras and Lucknow on 9th August, 15th August and 27th November respectively. Mussourie and Kanpur were added on as relay centres. It was only from 1st January 1970 that the decision to introduce commercial services was taken.

Progress during the 1970s remained very slow till a massive expansion programme was undertaken by the Government of India in the Sixth Five Year Plan. Now there are 18 programme originating Kendras of which 13 accept advertisements.

With effect from 15th August 1982, commercial services have been made available to the advertisers on the National hook-up. Doordarshan telecasts simultaneously a common programme over all its 218 transmitters from 8.45 p.m. to 11.15 p.m. and on other important occasions when it is called ‘Network’.

At present TV services are available to more than 70% of the population. As a matter of Government policy, transmission of commercial advertising is restricted to 10% of the total time.

The Government has decided to use the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band for expansion of its television services and to have all the proposed new TV transmitters on that band. About 45 UHF TV transmitters are proposed to be installed during the Seventh Plan. The first 12 of these will be commissioned between January and March next.

Existing black and white television receivers will not be able to receive UHF telecasts. Television manufacturers have been asked to produce low cost TV sets incorporating UHF tuners on a priority basis.

Thus commercial advertising on TV has been permitted since 1976. In order to attract more advertisers to promote their products through this audio-visual medium, several important changes have recently been intro­duced.

In addition to the present projecting of stills, the seven TV centres now permit movies or animated shots. Although the present spots continue, there are three classifications of TV timings.

The rates for Prime Time are the highest as it includes film spot advertisements during important programmes such as sports events, feature films, etc. This new scheme has received a stunning response in Bombay and Delhi, whilst in other centres like Calcutta and Madras the advertisers’ response is disappointing.

Colour Television was introduced in India from the end of 1982. Time can be purchased by private organisations on the Doordarshan network from December 1982 by sponsoring programmes to be telecast in colour.

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These programmes may be produced by Doordarshan or outside producers and different rates are charged.

Advertising revenue of Doordarshan has shown a galloping rise during 1986-87 over the previous years. According to reply to a recent question in Lok Sabha, the total revenue received by Doordarshan from certain adver­tisers rose as follows: Colgate Palmolive from Rs.91 lakhs in 1984-85 to Rs.3.44 crores in 1986-87; Hindustan Lever from Rs.1.03 crores to Rs.4.68 crores; Brooke Bond from Rs.44 lakhs to Rs.1.41 crores; Godrej from Rs.18 lakhs to Rs.1.10 crores; Hindustan Cocoa from Rs.63 lakhs-to Rs.1.25 crores during the above period; and from Bajaj it went up from Rs.27 lakhs in 1985- 86 to Rs.1.47 crores in 1986-87.